Sueños Music Festival 2025 Recap : A Celebration of Latin Music and Culture in the Heart of Chicago
- Massiel Nunez
- May 28
- 3 min read
For four years running, Chicago’s Grant Park has transformed into a huge celebration of Latin music, culture, and community each Memorial Day weekend. What started as a fresh, new entry into the festival scene has solidified itself as a staple. Sueños Music Festival made one thing clear. Latin music isn’t one thing... It’s everything. From reggaetón and regional Mexican to Dominican dembow and Colombian pop, the weekend celebrated Latinidad in all its forms, all happening under the Chicago skyline.
With its iconic Ferris wheel overlooking the lakefront and two additional stages (La Plaza and La Fuente) added to the grounds, the year’s festival elevated the experience. Local vendors offered a wide variety of food and merch, from tacos and vegan quesabirria to custom cowboy hats and apparel.
Day One Highlights
El Malilla set the tone on Saturday with high-energy reggaetón mexa and unapologetic pride for his roots in Valle de Chalco. Songs like “Mami Tú” got the crowd perreando early. Later, Dominican superstar El Alfa returned to the Sueños stage with hits like "4K" and "La Mamá de la Mamá," keeping the energy high.
Arcángel, a staple in reggaetón, followed with a set full of classics like “Pa Que Lo Pases Bien” and “Aparentemente”. Peso Pluma followed his set and drew one of the weekend's largest audiences. After missing last year’s festival due to weather, he made up for it by inviting guests onstage, including El Alfa and Tito Double P. The performance ended with Peso wrapping himself in a giant Mexican flag and shouting, "Viva la cultura mexicana!"
As temperatures dropped later in the evening, local vendors and festival merch shops stepped up with hoodies and gear to keep fans warm. The night closed with none other than Shakira. With Colombian flags waving and a setlist full of hits, she delivered nearly two hours of amazing choreography, emotional ballads, and crowd sing-alongs. Her performance was not just nostalgic but empowering. For many, Shakira embodied Latina resilience, confidence, and power.
Day Two Highlights
Day two started with La Bella Kath, who turned heads with her bold style and reggaetón mexa anthems like "Fresita" and "Gatita." Omar Courtz kept the party going before Jhayco took over the stage with hits like "No Me Conoce.”
Tito Double P, known for writing some of Peso Pluma’s biggest hits, gave an exceptional performance that felt especially powerful given the current political and cultural climate in Mexico. With regional music, especially corridos, facing increased scrutiny and censorship from the government, Tito's presence on stage felt like a bold statement. Two fans brought a Mexican flag that read, “Mi México canta con corridos, no con permiso” (My Mexico sings with corridos, not with permission), a clear show of resistance and pride. His debut album Incómodo has been a major success, and fans were fully locked in as he moved between heartfelt love songs and hard-hitting corridos.
Grupo Frontera brought Tejano energy to day two of Sueños, performing despite recent controversy. Earlier this year, a video of a family member celebrating Donald Trump’s election win sparked backlash, with some fans questioning the group’s political stance. Frontera later clarified they don’t support any anti-immigrant party and reaffirmed their commitment to their community. Despite criticism online and even from fans ahead of the fest, the group was met with loud cheers and full crowd sing-alongs to hits like “No Se Va” and “Bebé Dame.”
As the sun set, reggaetón legends Wisin and Don Omar took over. Wisin performed tracks like "Vacaciones" and "Sexy Movimiento," dedicating his set to Latinos of all backgrounds. Don Omar wrapped up the weekend with legendary bangers like "Danza Kuduro" and "Bandolero.” Fireworks lit up the sky over Grant Park, marking another unforgettable chapter in Sueños history.
Honorable Mentions
Some of the weekend’s most high-energy moments happened away from the main stage. The addition of La Fuente and La Plaza stages made a big impact this year. These spaces gave artists and DJs like Dynamiqo, 3Ballmty, Deorro, Grupo Sekta, and DJ Orozco a platform and quickly became the go-to spots for nonstop dancing.
Sueños 2025 wasn't just about performances; it was a cultural celebration. Food vendors like El Campeón offered delicious food options, including vegan options for attendees like quesabirria made from oyster mushrooms. The Hennessy Lounge provided photo ops, domino tables, and dance spaces. Pop-up shops like Sin Título showcased custom cowboy hats, temporary tattoos and apparel celebrating immigrant power and pride.
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